


This Too Shall Pass

by canthelpmyselves



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Identity Reveal, Other, Pining, Unrequited Love, break-up(Barry/Oliver)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 20:48:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21326464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canthelpmyselves/pseuds/canthelpmyselves
Summary: Eddie regrets the ending of his friendship with Barry.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Oliver Queen, Eddie Thawne/Iris West
Comments: 6
Kudos: 112





	This Too Shall Pass

_'Goddammit!'_ Eddie tried. He really, really tried. Still, his eyes betrayed him and swept over the tall, lanky brunette crouched by the broken coffee table. Saliva pooled in his mouth and he had to force himself to swallow three times to keep from literally drooling. This was becoming a very real problem! It’s all Iris’ fault, too! Why did she have to show him those pictures? 

It was already a vague notion in the back of his head, a faint crush that he was doing his very best to ignore and deny. Then, a month ago, Iris had rushed into his apartment, giddy with excitement that she had the scoop of a lifetime. Eddie didn’t even have time to object before she was shoving her phone under his nose and showing him shot after shot of the Flash pressed up against a wall by none other than the Hood. 

Eddie groaned under his breath and spun to face the other direction. It did nothing to stop the replay in his head. He reluctantly pictured Barry’s left leg hitched up high on the other man’s thigh. The archer’s hands clamping hard on Barry’s ass. Barry’s hands locked onto broad shoulders. Their mouths fused together tightly. He shook his head firmly and sucked in several deep breaths. 

Once he was certain he was as calm as normal, he turned and moved closer to Barry. “Get anything, Allen?” he asked, notebook in hand so he could jot down anything Barry told him. 

Barry tensed slightly, keeping his eyes on the shattered wood and glass. “A few blood drops and a shell casing,” he said stiffly. “I’ll process everything and get Joe a report as soon as possible.”

Eddie sighed as Barry stood and walked away as quickly as possible without actually jogging. Edddie exhaled and his shoulders slumped. That was the other problem. Barry hated him.

Seeing those pictures, knowing Iris was already planning out the story to print, he had blurted out that she couldn’t let them get printed. That Barry was the Flash. 

She laughed, at first, certain he was joking. After a few seconds, she had realized how serious he was. Hurt, betrayal, disillusionment. All sorts of negative emotions had flickered in her eyes before she turned her phone around and quickly dialed. What followed was a short, furious conversation where she demanded to know if Eddie was telling the truth and Barry was forced to admit to her he had been keeping secrets.

As far as Eddie knew, Iris was still giving Barry (as well as Joe) the silent treatment. Barry had been incensed when he cornered Eddie the next day, demanding to know why he would out him like that. Eddie tried to explain that he hadn’t intended to. He told Barry about the pictures. 

Barry had turned bright red, then paled so fast, Eddie was concerned he might faint. Barry had quickly pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Eddie was the unwilling witness to a brief, tense conversation between two vigilantes about the photos. He helplessly listened as the Hood yelled about secret identities and exposure and then coldly told Barry not to contact him again, except in an emergency.

Barry had looked devastated as he hung up. Eddie had carefully reached out to comfort Barry but was pushed away. The pain and grief made Barry’s normally bright hazel eyes look like dark gray. That was the last time Barry had looked him in the eyes. They still had to work together. They still saw each other on a near daily basis. They just didn’t interact, unless absolutely necessary.

Eddie missed their boxing sessions. He missed the quick coffee breaks. He missed the little nerdy jokes Barry used to tell. Most of all, he missed the small smiles Barry gave when he was relaxed and happy. The ones he could secretly pretend were for him and him alone. The ones that fueled his fantasies, late at night, in the dark, when he was alone with just his imagination and his hand. The fantasies he dared not tell a living soul about because he was with Iris and she loves him and he loves her and they’re good together. This thing he felt for Barry was just a crush. Eventually it would fade. It had to.


End file.
